Ayrshire College recently delivered its fifth Hospitality & Bartending Diageo Learning for Life Programme, helping a record number of students to launch their hospitality careers at some of Ayrshire’s top bars and restaurants.

Thirteen students took part in the six-week course at the College’s Ayr Campus, celebrating their success with industry partners, local councillors and college staff.

Designed in partnership with Diageo to enable students to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to start a career in the area’s hospitality industry, the Ayrshire Hospitality & Bartending programme aims to create more employment opportunities for young local people.

Learning Engagement Officer, Pauline Scott said “Since the start of the programme in November 2014, a total of sixty one students have completed the course. The statistics speak for themselves with 51% of students gaining employment in the hospitality industry immediately after they complete the course, 67% after 3 months and 75% after 6 months of finishing the course.”

Moira Birtwistle, Director of Hospitality, Tourism, Business and IT at Ayrshire College added: ‘Bartending and hospitality offer a wide range of excellent career options. Scotland’s hospitality industry is flourishing and we’re delighted to announce that the Learning for Life programme, in partnership with Diageo, is set to continue for a further two years to help young adults in Ayrshire to gain the skills and qualifications to have a successful career within it.’